BILL NO. 21

(as introduced)

2nd Session, 58th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
50 Elizabeth II, 2001



Government Bill



Transportation Amendments (2001) Act



The Honourable Ronald S. Russell, C.D.
Minister of Transportation and Public Works



First Reading: April 6, 2001

(Explanatory Notes)

Second Reading: May 18, 2001

Third Reading: May 29, 2001 (WITH COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS)

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Explanatory Notes

Clause 1 sets out the short title of the Bill.

Clause 2 adds a definition of "crossing guard" to the Motor Vehicle Act and amends the definition of "peace officer" in that Act.

Clause 3 provides for a graduated penalty system for speeding offences.

Clause 4 provides that the driver of a motor vehicle shall yield the right of way to a pedestrian lawfully within a crosswalk.

Clause 5 adds provisions respecting crossing guards.

Clause 6 enables the Minister of Transportation and Public Works, with the approval of the Governor in Council, to make regulations incorporating by reference vehicle weight and dimension standards.

Clause 7 revises the motor vehicle inspection program.

Clause 8 revises the provisions of the Motor Vehicle Act dealing with the seizure of vehicles and the procedure for selling seized vehicles.

Subclause 9(1) enables the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to reinstate a licence or the privilege of obtaining a licence following a suspension subject to any conditions prescribed by the Registrar.

Subclause 9(2) provides that, where a hearing is held following the suspension of a licence and the Registrar of Motor Vehicles believes that the person is afflicted with a mental or physical infirmity, the Registrar may refer the information relating to the infirmity to the Medical Advisory Committee for an opinion on the ability of the person to operate a motor vehicle.

Subclause 9(3) permits the Registrar to suspend or revoke the privilege of obtaining a driver's licence upon receipt of a recommendation to that effect from a court or a judge.

Clause 10 amends the Point System Table contained in Section 282 of the Motor Vehicle Act.

Clause 11 provides that the seven-day suspension for speeding does not apply if a person exceeds the speed limit by between one and fifteen kilometres per hour.

Clause 12 permits the Registrar to prescribe the method of delivery of suspension and revocation notices.

Clauses 13 to 15 amend various offence provisions in the Motor Vehicle Act.

Clause 16 permits the adoption by reference of national and international commercial vehicle standards.

Clause 17 amends the definition of "reciprocating jurisdiction" and adds a definition of "safety fitness certificate" in Section 303A of the Motor Vehicle Act.

Clause 18 permits the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to disclose records to a carrier or an insurer authorized by the carrier to obtain records.

Clause 19 permits the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to refuse to issue a vehicle registration or driver's licence in certain circumstances.

Clause 20 amends the regulation-making authority of the Governor in Council in the Motor Vehicle Act.

Clause 21 permits the Governor in Council to declare the Republic of Mexico to be a reciprocating jurisdiction.

Clause 22 increases from $20 per day to $1,000 per day the maximum fine for failure to remove, on the request of the Minister of Transportation and Public Works, a sign or billboard that the Minister considers a danger to traffic on a highway.

Section 49 of the Public Highways Act authorizes the Minister of Transportation and Public Works to regulate advertisements within 150 metres of the centre line of a highway outside a city or town or within 45 metres of the centre line of a highway within a city or town. Clause 23 expands Section 49 to apply to advertisements within 1000 metres of the centre line of a highway, wherever located, owned by the Province, increases the maximum fines in Section 49 from $50 or $100 to $1,000 and excludes campaign signs during an election.

Clause 24 authorizes the Minister of Transportation and Public Works to permit the display of business names and logos on highways.

Clause 25 limits the purpose of the Railways Act to ensuring the safe operation of railways.

Clause 26

(a) removes from the Act the definition of "crossing";

(b) adds definitions of "industrial railway" and "right of way"; and

(c) changes the Minister of Transportation and Communications to the Minister of Transportation and Public Works.

Clause 27

(a) sets out the power of the Minister of Transportation and Public Works to enter into agreements and appoint railway inspectors; and

(b) removes the authority of the Minister to appoint occupational health and safety inspectors, who are the responsibility of the Minister of the Environment and Labour.

Clauses 28 and 29 remove the requirement for a permit to construct or alter a railway line. The construction or alteration of a railway line will still be governed by the regulations under the Railways Act.

Clause 30

(a) removes provisions of the Railways Act respecting permits to construct a railway made unnecessary by Clauses 28 and 29;

(b) replaces a provision respecting the construction of crossings with a provision continuing decisions, orders, rules, regulations and directions of the Canadian Transportation Agency respecting crossings under federal jurisdiction upon the crossings coming under Provincial jurisdiction; and

(c) adds a provision respecting the connection of a railway to another railway.

At present, the new Act provides for two classes of railway licence, namely, a passenger railway licence and a freight railway licence. Clause 31 eliminates the different classes.

Subclause 32(1) requires a proposed railway and proposed railway service to be inspected before a licence is issued.

Subclause 32(2) requires a newly constructed or altered railway and its connections to be inspected before a licence is issued.

Clause 33 requires a railway company to operate its railway safely and maintain it in a safe condition according to the regulations and industry standards.

Clause 34 removes a provision of the Act that requires the apportionment by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board of the costs of maintaining a crossing.

Clause 35 removes the requirement to file a tariff of rates with the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board or publish that tariff.

Clause 36 permits the recovery of the cost of an inspection following a complaint about or a review of a railway company's operation.

Clause 37 clarifies language in a provision of the Act.

Clause 38 corrects a cross-reference.

When a railway is abandoned, the Minister of Transportation and Public Works has the right to acquire the railway. Clause 39 provides for the value of the railway to be determined by an independent appraiser instead of by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.

Clause 40 provides that the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board may authorize a person or body to sit jointly with a federal board or a board of another province or territory of Canada.

Clause 41

(a) removes a regulation-making power respecting occupational health and safety made unnecessary by Clause 27;

(b) removes a redundant regulation-making power respecting maintenance of railways;

(c) adds a regulation-making power respecting insurance;

(d) removes the power to define "industrial railway" which is defined by this Act; and

(e) broadens the power to put exemptions in the regulations.

Clause 42 removes an unnecessary reference to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board from the offence provision of the Act.

Clause 43 replaces a reference in the Act to several repealed statutes with a reference to the Municipal Government Act.

Clause 44 adds a reference to amendments to the agreement between the Minister of Transportation and Public Works and the Cape Breton & Central Nova Scotia Railway Limited.

Clause 45 repeals an amendment to the Assessment Act that no longer is appropriate because of another similar amendment to that Act.

Clause 46 preserves a general regulation-making power of the Governor in Council respecting railways and repeals an unnecessary authority for the Minister of Transportation and Public Works to enter into an agreement with a railway company.

Clause 47 amends the Protection of Property Act to add railway lines to the list of premises that are protected by that Act.

Clause 48 makes Sections 2 to 5, 10, 11 and 13 to 15 effective upon proclamation.

Clause 49 gives Sections 25 to 47 retroactive effect to the effective dates of the new Railways Act upon its proclamation.

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An Act to Amend the Law
Respecting Motor Vehicles,
Public Highways and Railways

Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:

1 This Act may be cited as the Transportation Amendments (2001) Act.

PART I

MOTOR VEHICLE ACT

2 Section 2 of Chapter 293 of the Revised Statutes, 1989, the Motor Vehicle Act, as amended by Chapter 24 of the Acts of 1994, Chapter 12 of the Acts of 1994-95 and Chapter 23 of the Acts of 1995-96, is further amended by

(a) adding immediately after clause (g) the following clause:

and

(b) striking out "or a person appointed by a city, town or municipality and employed to supervise the movement of children along or across highways going to or from school while so employed" in the second, third, fourth and fifth lines of clause (an).

3 Chapter 293 is further amended by adding immediately after Section 106 the following Section:

4 (1) Subsection 125(1) of Chapter 293 is repealed and the following subsection substituted:

(2) Subsection 125(2) of Chapter 293, as amended by Chapter 36 of the Acts of 1990, is further amended by striking out "marked" in the first line.

(3) Subsection 125(3) of Chapter 293 is amended by striking out "marked or unmarked" in the second line.

5 Chapter 293 is further amended by adding immediately after Section 125 the following Section:

6 Subsection 191(1) of Chapter 293, as amended by Chapter 12 of the Acts of 1994-95, is further amended by adding immediately after clause (ad) the following clause:

7 (1) Subsections 201(1) and (2) of Chapter 293 are repealed and the following subsections substituted:

(2) Subsection 201(7) of Chapter 293 is amended by

(a) striking out "operators" in the third line of clause (g) and substituting "licensees"; and

(b) repealing clause (m) and substituting the following clauses:

(3) Subsection 201(8) of Chapter 293 is repealed and the following subsections substituted:

8 Sections 275 and 276 of Chapter 293 are repealed and the following Sections substituted:

9 (1) Subsection 279(2) of Chapter 293 is amended by adding ", reinstate the license or privilege of obtaining a license subject to any conditions prescribed by the Registrar" immediately after "suspension" in the third last line.

(2) Section 279 of Chapter 293 is further amended by adding immediately after subsection (2) the following subsection:

(3) Subsection 279(3) of Chapter 293 is amended by adding "or the privilege of obtaining a driver's license" immediately after "license" in the second line.

10 The POINT SYSTEM TABLE in subsection 282(2) of Chapter 293, as amended by Chapter 24 of the Acts of 1994, is further amended by

(a) striking out "87" in the last line of 3. and substituting "97";

(b) repealing 6. and substituting the following:

(c) repealing 8. and 9. and substituting the following:

and

(d) striking out "125" in 13.

11 Subsection 285(1) of Chapter 293 is amended by striking out ", 103, 104, 106 or" in the fourth line and substituting "or 103, clause (b) or (c) of Section 106A or Section".

12 (1) Subsection 290(1) of Chapter 293 is amended by striking out "by registered or certified mail from the Registrar" in the last two lines and substituting "in the manner prescribed by the Registrar".

(2) Subsection 290(2) of Chapter 293 is amended by striking out "by registered or certified mail" in the sixth line.

(3) Subsection 290(4) of Chapter 293 is amended by striking out "by registered or certified mail" in the fourth line.

13 Section 294 of Chapter 293, as amended by Chapter 36 of the Acts of 1990 and Chapter 12 of the Acts of 1994-95, is further amended by striking out "104, 106" in the third line and substituting "clause (a) of Section 106A, Section".

14 Section 295 of Chapter 293, as amended by Chapter 36 of the Acts of 1990, Chapter 12 of the Acts of 1994-95, Chapter 23 of the Acts of 1995-96, Chapter 34 of the Acts of 1996 and Chapter 11 of the Acts of 1999, is further amended by striking out ", 99A," in the second line and substituting "or 99A, clause (b) of Section 106A, Section".

15 Section 295A of Chapter 293, as enacted by Chapter 36 of the Acts of 1990 and amended by Chapter 24 of the Acts of 1994, Chapter 12 of the Acts of 1994-95, Chapter 23 of the Acts of 1995-96 and Chapter 5 of the Acts of 1997, is further amended by striking out "of Section 103" in the second line and substituting "or (6) of Section 103, clause (c) of Section 106A".

16 Subsection 303(1) of Chapter 293 is amended by adding immediately after clause (e) the following clause:

17 Section 303A of Chapter 293, as enacted by Chapter 30 of the Acts of 1993, is amended by

(a) adding "or the Republic of Mexico" immediately after "America" in the third line of clause (c);

(b) striking out the period at the end of clause (c) and substituting a semicolon; and

(c) adding immediately after clause (c) the following clause:

18 Subsection 303C(2) of Chapter 293, as enacted by Chapter 30 of the Acts of 1993, is amended by striking out "province" in the third line and substituting "jurisdiction or to the carrier or an insurer authorized by the carrier to obtain such records".

19 Section 303F of Chapter 293, as enacted by Chapter 30 of the Acts of 1993, is amended by adding "or refuse to issue" immediately after "cancel" in the first line.

20 Clause 303G(b) of Chapter 293 is repealed and the following clauses substituted:

21 Section 303I of Chapter 293, as enacted by Chapter 30 of the Acts of 1993, is amended by adding "or the Republic of Mexico" immediately after "America" in the third line.

PART II

PUBLIC HIGHWAYS ACT

22 Subsection 48(1) of Chapter 371 of the Revised Statutes, 1989, the Public Highways Act, is amended by striking out "twenty" in the eighth line and substituting "one thousand".

23 (1) Clauses 49(1)(a) and (b) of Chapter 371 are repealed and the following clause substituted:

(2) Subsection 49(2) of Chapter 371 is amended by striking out "hundred" in the fifth line and substituting "thousand".

(3) Subsection 49(3) of Chapter 371 is amended by striking out "hundred" in the fourth line and substituting "thousand".

(4) Subsection 49(4) of Chapter 371 is amended by striking out "fifty" in the sixth line and substituting "one thousand".

(5) Subsection 49(7) of Chapter 371 is amended by adding ", but does not include a campaign sign during an election or plebiscite in the area in which the sign is located if the sign complies with the laws governing the election or plebiscite" immediately after "purpose" in the last line.

24 Chapter 371 is further amended by adding immediately after Section 49 the following Sections:

PART III

RAILWAYS ACT

25 Section 2 of Chapter 11 of the Acts of 1993, the Railways Act, is amended by striking out "and to ensure the provision of railway services" in the second and third lines.

26 Section 3 of Chapter 11 is amended by

(a) striking out clause (b) and substituting the following clause:

(b) striking out "Communications" in the second line of clause (d) and substituting "Public Works";

(c) striking out the period at the end of clause (l) and substituting a semicolon; and

(d) adding immediately after clause (l) the following clause:

27 Section 8 of Chapter 11 is repealed and the following Section substituted:

28 Section 9 of Chapter 11 is amended by striking out "a permit and" in the second line.

29 Subsections 10(1), (3) and (4) of Chapter 11 are repealed.

30 Sections 11 to 13 of Chapter 11 are repealed and the following Sections substituted:

31 Section 15 of Chapter 11 is repealed.

32 (1) Subsection 18(1) of Chapter 11 is amended by striking out "operation has" in the third line and substituting "and proposed railway service have".

(2) Subsection 18(2) of Chapter 11 is amended by striking out "has been approved" in the third line and substituting "and its connections have been inspected".

33 Section 22 of Chapter 11 is amended by adding "according to the regulations and industry standards" immediately after "condition" in the second line.

34 Subsection 24(2) of Chapter 11 is repealed.

35 Subsection 27(1) of Chapter 11 is repealed.

36 Section 35 of Chapter 11, as amended by Chapter 27 of the Acts of 1995-96, is further amended by adding immediately after subsection (4) the following subsection:

37 Subsection 39(2) of Chapter 11 is amended by striking out "both" in the first line and substituting "the".

38 Subsection 41(4) of Chapter 11 is amended by striking out "this Section" in the last two lines and substituting "Section 42".

39 (1) Subsection 44(2) of Chapter 11 is amended by striking out "Board shall, in accordance with the regulations, determine that value" in the fourth and fifth lines and substituting "value shall be determined by an agreed upon independent appraiser".

(2) Section 44 of Chapter 11 is further amended by adding immediately after subsection (2) the following subsections:

40 (1) Subsection 47(1) of Chapter 11 is repealed and the following subsection substituted:

(2) Subsection 47(2) of Chapter 11 is amended by striking out "Board" in the first and in the second lines and substituting in each case "person or body".

(3) Subsection 47(3) of Chapter 11 is amended by

(a) striking out "Board" in the first and in the last lines and substituting in each case "person or body"; and

(b) striking out "members of the Board" in the second and third lines and substituting "person or body".

(4) Subsection 47(4) of Chapter 11 is amended by striking out "Board' in the first and in the second lines and substituting in each case "person or body".

41 (1) Subsection 48(1) of Chapter 11, as amended by Chapter 27 of the Acts of 1995-96, is further amended by

(a) adding "or a part of the right of way" after "way" in the second line of clause (g);

(b) striking out clause (q) and substituting the following clause:

(c) striking out everything after "railways" in the second line of clause (u) to the end of the clause and substituting a semicolon; and

(d) striking out "defining 'industrial railway' and" in the fifth line of clause (ai).

(2) Subsection 48(3) of Chapter 11 is repealed.

(3) Section 48 of Chapter 11 is further amended by adding immediately after subsection (4) the following subsection:

42 Subsection 49(1) of Chapter 11 is amended by striking out ", the Board" in fourth line.

43 Section 51 of Chapter 11 is repealed and the following Section substituted:

44 Subsection 52(1) of Chapter 11 is amended by adding "and subsequent amendments" immediately after "Limited" in the fourth line.

45 Section 53 of Chapter 11 is repealed.

46 (1) Clauses 9(b) and (c) of Chapter 27 of the Acts of 1995-96 are repealed and deemed not to have been enacted.

(2) Section 52B of Chapter 11, as enacted by Chapter 27 of the Acts of 1995-96, is repealed.

47 Subsection 3(1) of Chapter 363 of the Revised Statutes, 1989, the Protection of Property Act, is amended by adding immediately after clause (b) the following clause:

PART IV

EFFECTIVE DATES

48 Sections 2 to 5, 10, 11 and 13 to 15 come into force on such day as the Governor in Council orders and declares by proclamation.

49 Upon the coming into force of Chapter 11,

(a) Sections 25 to 47, except subsection 46(2), has effect on and after October 1, 1993; and

(b) subsection 46(2) has effect on and after May 30, 1994.

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This page and its contents published by the Office of the Legislative Counsel, Nova Scotia House of Assembly, and © 2001 Crown in right of Nova Scotia. Created June 5, 2001. Send comments to legc.office@gov.ns.ca.